$ymbiotic Relationship With NY's GOP: 'We Agreed With Him On So Many Issues'

[redqueen]

As Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, campaigns in the Democratic primary for president, he has been forced to account for his more conservative past. He recently apologized for an aggressive and unconstitutional stop-and-frisk policing strategy that targeted innocent New Yorkers of color. Progressives have criticized him for funneling cash to help endangered Republicans in the U.S. Senate. And derogatory comments about the #MeToo movement are proof for some Democrats that the 77-year-old is out of step with today’s party.

Bloomberg, though, has largely avoided blowback so far on another facet of his political past, one grounded squarely in New York’s thorny political scene: his lavish funding of Republicans in the State Senate. As Democrats have fought in New York and nationally to turn state legislatures blue and build local bulwarks against President Donald Trump, Bloomberg’s decision to donate to the Republicans who once held the majority stands out in a presidential field that has drifted further left.

...

Over his three terms, Bloomberg personally donated more than $2 million to the State Senate Republican’s campaign committee, according to state campaign finance records. $1 million of that came in one fell swoop in September of 2012, when Democrats were close to knocking the Republicans out of the majority. That same day in September, he also donated $75,000 to a campaign committee for the Independent Democratic Conference, a rogue group of Democrats who would partner with the Republicans to lock the regular Democrats out of the majority. (A month later, he would also donate $250,000 to Assembly Democrats, who have controlled the chamber since the 1970s.)

In addition, Bloomberg gave to the State Republican Party, who could easily funnel the cash to Senate Republicans in competitive races, and to local GOP housekeeping accounts. He could single out New York City Republican senators, including Andrew Lanza, Marty Golden, and the late Frank Padavan, who each received at least $10,000 from the billionaire.

Not a single dollar from Bloomberg ever flowed to the coffers of the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm.

...

https://champ.gothamist.com/champ/gothamist/news/mike-bloombergs-ymbiotic-relationship-nys-gop-we-agreed-him-so-many-issues

[brooklynite]

1. You left a line out...

"A month later, he would also donate $250,000 to Assembly Democrats"

Welcome to NYS politics. Mayors and Governors from both Parties (up to an including Cuomo) have supported a division of State control between the Democrats (Assembly) and the Republicans (Senate).

[redqueen]

3. It's there

?

I just don't trust the guy. He's good on some issues, though, so there is that.

[ritapria]

2. Bloomberg fought for a Republican NY State Senate

Enough said ….He's good on Climate Change and Guns ….Otherwise , Bloomberg is a Republican …...No amount of money spent on TV ads will change his record : A Bush-Cheney supporter , an Iraq War Enthusiast , An opponent of the minimum wage, a strong supporter of a Wall Street that nearly crashed our economy just 10 years ago and will do so again ………….

[B Stieg]

4. Haven't we had enough selfishness in our leadership?

Same with Steyer. Just go back to your money.